The Lonestar Roundup - The Kontinentals' Kick-Ass Crowd-Pleaser

Having flown out to the Lonestar Roundup last year, I was determined to drive out this time, so despite the forecast of thunderstorms for much of the journey, myself and Ryan Manson from Street Rodder magazine jumped in my '46 roadster pickup on Thursday afternoon and headed some 1,500 miles east, with not much more than a couple changes of clothes, a bag of tools, camera gear, and a scrap of paper that read "I8 to I10, turn left on 290 to Austin." Okay we had techno-whiz Manson's GPS-equipped Blackberry too, but that just showed us how far we had remaining to travel! Some 36 hours later, with a brief motel stop when it got too cold to concentrate in the middle of the night in New Mexico, and a few hours lost trying to buy steering parts on Friday morning, we rolled into Austin amid fog and damp weather, but dry.

Turns out Friday had been a washout at the Travis County Expo Center, with everybody crammed into the huge rodeo barn on site, but Saturday's weather improved by the hour, from hot and humid to sunny by late afternoon. With plenty of time to check out the vendor building, peruse the swapmeet, watch bands or the mini-bike races, or get a haircut from Rob's Chop Shop or a makeover for the girls, it made for a relaxed day if you weren't running around with a camera! Many cars and more vendors were ensconced back in the barn, which made the outside look a little empty compared to 2008, but the place was heaving, mainly with early-style rods and customs, before the action shifted into town on South Congress Avenue for the evening's cruising and hanging out.

As usual, Austin Speed Shop (which has dropped the "South" from its name) hosted an evening party, with Reverend Horton Heat playing to the crowds, before many made their way back to South Congress to party on the sidewalks. We took the opportunity to cruise, too-what's the point of bringing a car that far if we weren't going to join in?-before parking and cruising on foot for a while. We also hung around Sunday and made it out to Ski Shores Caf, a cool little old caf on the river built in 1954 that many straggling show attendees drive out to for Sunday lunch, then hit the Continental Club Sunday night once most of the crowds had left for home. Fun times, and we can see why so many hot rodders are making Texas home these days. Thanks to the supreme efforts of the Kontinentals Car Club, the Lonestar Roundup has gone from a small gathering on a football field to a huge event in just 8 years, and you can be sure we'll be back next year.